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The Haven Hub Master Plan: to 2030
In 2008 the Department for Transport published its ‘Guidance on the Preparation of Port Master Plans’. The Guidance was published to provide UK ports with a framework against which to prepare robust information to enable full engagement with stakeholders. A port master plan aims to clarify a port’s strategic planning for the medium to long term, to assist regional and local planning bodies and transport network providers in preparing and developing their own development strategies and to inform port users, employees and local communities as to how they can expect to see a port develop over the coming years.
The key elements of the Haven Hub Master Plan to 2030 include the delivery of additional deep-water berths within the Harwich Haven, and important infrastructure improvements to both rail and road connectivity from the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich to the UK’s strategic freight distribution network. The promotion of short-sea shipping activities is also a key component to ensure that HPUK’s Haven ports are fully integrated into a sustainable freight network.
2011 sees the opening of the additional 730m of deep-water berths (-16m CD) with the completion of Berths 8&9 (Felixstowe South Phase 1) additionally HPUK is on track to complete improvements to the A14 at the Copdock and Dock Spur interchanges, in partnership with the Highways Agency. By 2018 the delivery of Felixstowe South Phase 2, will provide an additional 555m of deep-water with additional container handling capacity, taking the total capacity of the Port of Felixstowe to some 6 million TEUs per annum. In addition HPUK will fund improvements to the National Rail Network to enhance freight capability across the network from Felixstowe to Doncaster; these will be completed and open to traffic prior to the operation of Felixstowe South Phase 2.
Opportunities for further significant deep-water capability within the Harwich Haven can be delivered with the development of the new Harwich International Port Container Terminal at Bathside Bay, and this will also include the delivery of major improvements to a 10km stretch of the A120 in Essex, from Harwich to Hare Green.
Together, delivery of these schemes will provide around 8 million TEUs of container handling capacity within the Harwich Haven by 2030, maintaining the HPUK Haven Ports position as the UK’s most significant container handling hub, the Haven Hub.
Master Plan Demand Forecasts
Notwithstanding the recent economic events, HPUK remains committed to the implementation of its deep-water container handling development plans at Felixstowe and Harwich in the long term. In 2008/9 the world economic recession and reduction in global trade lowered the volume of containers handled in UK ports generally and in turn eased the short term demand pressures for new terminal capacity. This is recognised in the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, published in November 2009 by the Department for Transport. It is estimated that the underlying growth rate of 7 million to 20 million TEU per annum in container traffic will be maintained, and in the longer term it remains the Government’s view that there will be no reduction in the eventual level of demand for port capacity predicted by its forecasts.
To accommodate the forecast growth in trade and meet the increasing dominance of the very largest vessels in this trade, HPUK continues to invest in new deep-water container handling capacity. HPUK has developed its ‘Haven Hub’ package of solutions to enable it to meet its customers’ needs, and maintain its position at the forefront of the UK ports industry.
HPUK is committed to expansion through sustainable means. Government and conservation bodies recognise that ports need to develop and expand to accommodate changes in shipping dynamics and the growth in trade. Concern does of course exist over the potential environmental impact that port development could cause. HPUK works hard to find ways of making sure that port development minimises the impact on the environment and to agree ways in which development can even enhance the environment. We work closely with organisations such as Natural England, the RSPB and the local planning authorities to find ways of ensuring environmentally acceptable port growth.
The expansion of the Port of Felixstowe with the imminent delivery of Berths 8&9 has eased the short term demand pressures for new terminal capacity in the UK. This is also documented in the draft National Policy Statement for Ports. The expansion of the Port of Felixstowe is of great strategic importance in the European market and this development is critical to secure additional deep-water capacity for the UK market. This is a significant development for the Port of Felixstowe and marks the beginning of a new era in its evolution. Whilst the Port is already able to accommodate the largest vessels currently in service, the Felixstowe South project will enable the Port to handle more vessels simultaneously, resulting in even better facilities for its customers and securing its position as the UK’s number one container port.
Construction of Berths 8&9 commenced in 2008. The scheme involved the conversion of the area previously used by P&O North Sea Ferries Limited, plus the largely redundant Dock Basin and Landguard Terminal, into a new deep-water container terminal. Berths 8&9 after a period of testing and trialing of its new equipment will be fully operational in the second quarter of 2011, with the second phase expected to be operational by 2018 based on current forecasts.
The scheme when complete will increase capacity of the Port by 50%. More and more of the largest container ships on the market are being delivered to our customers, and Berths 8&9 and Felixstowe South Phase 2 will increase, by almost 200%, the capacity available at Felixstowe for the World’s largest ships to call at the UK’s number one container port.
The development provides a total of 1,285 meters of -16m deep-water quays. When complete the new terminal will be equipped with 13 of the most modern quayside cranes and 50 yard cranes, and will provide a storage capacity of 46,800 TEUs. Together with the Port’s existing Trinity Terminal, to the Port of Felixstowe will be able to provide a total of over 4 kilometres of deep-water container facilities and total capacity at the Port will increase to some 6 million TEUs per annum.
Dredged to -16m alongside, Felixstowe South will provide the deepest water available at the Port, and will enable Felixstowe to handle more of the largest generation of container vessels. In so doing, it will secure the Port’s position as a major European hub, and will ensure that UK importers and exporters enjoy the full range of direct-call liner services in the UK.
The project also includes a third rail terminal on land already reclaimed at the existing Trinity Terminal, and upgrades to the national Rail Network serving the Port to increase rail capacity and capability for the Port and across the national network.
Moreover, the new terminal will provide a significant boost to the economy, both locally, and in the Eastern region as a whole. Not only will the proposals help to secure the future employment of all those who currently rely on the Port for their livelihoods, but when fully operational, the Felixstowe South development will create more than 600 direct jobs, with an additional 860 in associated industries. The Port of Felixstowe is already one of the largest employers in the UK’s Eastern region, is a major driver of the local economy and contributes more than £100 million to it each year in wages alone.
Harwich International Port, Bathside Bay
The next significant milestone following completion of Felixstowe South Phase 2 in the development of the Haven Hub will be the development of Bathside Bay, Harwich. The Secretaries of State granted consent in 2006 for a port facility with 1,400 metres of quay, 110 hectares of land and alongside dredged depth of 15m. Serviced by 11 quay cranes, the state-of-the-art terminal will have a capacity of 2.14 million TEUs per annum with a dedicated rail facility. In addition improvements, funded by HPUK, to the road and rail infrastructure serving the new terminal will ensure excellent connectivity for our customers to the UK’s logistics network.
Opportunities for Offshore Wind
Harwich International Port is already heavily committed to the offshore renewables industry, providing port facilities to both the Gunfleet Sands and Greater Gabbard projects. In response to the massive expansion in the UK’s offshore renewable programme, the development of Bathside Bay as Harwich International Wind Port could provide a dedicated UK facility for the industry, capable of supporting almost every aspect of Round 3 development with the advantage of no air draught restrictions, and a protected harbour offering lock-free and unrestricted access to the North Sea.
Opportunities for coastal shipping
Road-traffic congestion is a major environmental problem that contributes significantly towards CO2 emissions and climate change. Maritime transport can make a useful contribution towards the drive to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport. There are considerable efforts being made by policy makers, and from within industry, to reduce the environmental aspects of supply chains. The focus for much of this effort has been to reduce the reliance upon road transport and to make greater use of low-carbon modes, i.e., rail and coastal shipping.
The Haven Hub development will greatly enhance opportunities to develop coastal shipping services. The greatest potential for coastal container services is when connecting to deep-sea services on the world’s major trade routes. An increased use of feeder sailings will help relieve the pressure of the country’s busy road network. The combined Haven Ports complex, once developed, will be the only UK hub capable of providing sufficient volumes to support daily short-sea feeder services to the main feeder ports elsewhere in the UK and near continent.
Rail
All HPUK ports are rail connected and we are committed to promoting the use of rail transport. The Port has seen significant and sustained growth over the last few years and continues to invest in upgrading its existing facilities and delivering its new rail terminal on Trinity terminal in the future.
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